


I Apologize if You Feel Something

by fala_amo



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: AU - Vampire, Alternate Universe - True Blood Fusion, F/M, Inspired by True Blood (TV)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-26
Updated: 2020-05-12
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:00:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23853475
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fala_amo/pseuds/fala_amo
Summary: Rey turned her head and tilted up her chin, exposing the smooth skin of her neck and its beating jugular vein. "Do it," she said, "I want you to."Ben's eyes filled with desire, and he bared his fangs with a click. He lowered his head and bit into her sensitive flesh, sucking eagerly. Rey gasped. It was unlike anything she had experienced before. For something that was supposed to be so wrong, it felt so good.*takes place in the True Blood universe*
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey & Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 9
Kudos: 43





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hi. Hello. I am a grown ass adult who used to write fics on various sites when I was a teenager and have now come back out of retirement due to boredom during the ~corona quarantine~. Before I begin the fic, I thought I would just leave a few notes to set up context.
> 
> First, this fic takes place in the True Blood universe. The idea came as I started rewatching the series (also in quarantine boredom) and I could not stop thinking about the idea of *vampire* Kylo/Ben. The characters and the plot will be loosely based off of the show, but will in no way be carbon copies. This story does not take place in the same physical place as the show, so there will be no character crossovers. If you have not seen the show, no worries (if you have HBO though, do it, it will become your new guilty pleasure)! Universe specific things will be explained in the story as we go.
> 
> Second, I did adjust the cannon timeline from the show, which initially took place in 2008, with vampires integrating into society at around 2006-2007. This fic takes place in current times, with the integration taking place at around 2017-2018.
> 
> Finally, at the bottom of the notes for each chapter should be a chapter-specific content warning of things that may be triggering or upsetting to some. They may contain slight spoilers for events in the chapter, so feel free to skip them for that reason if you are not typically sensitive to certain types of content. If you are sensitive to certain types of content I do suggest you read them just to make sure you are aware before starting a chapter.
> 
> Thank you all for reading! Enjoy!
> 
> Chapter Content Warnings: There is some description of a woman in an uncomfortable date situation with alcohol and non-consensual touch that may be triggering or upsetting to some.

Rey awoke earlier than usual that morning. She knew it, as she could feel the weight of tiredness throughout her body as her eyes slowly cracked open. Nevertheless, she pushed her palms into her mattress, forcing herself into a sitting position. She reached for her phone on her nightstand to check the time. **8:00** it read. With a groan she swung her legs off the edge of her bed and stood up. While she normally slept in much later, she decided it would be best to have some breakfast and get some things done, and then sleep later.

She turned to her window, reached over, and opened the shutters to let the natural light into her room, hoping that it would help awaken her more. She peered through the shutters at the familiar view of the quiet street below. Although, something was different this time. Parked alongside the curb was a small yellow moving truck. _New neighbors,_ she thought to herself, _Interesting, I never saw them when I came home last night. Maybe Rose saw them._

A slight rumble in her stomach interrupted her thoughts. _And on the topic of Rose, she’s probably made breakfast._

Rey turned and exited her room, taking a left down the short hallway to her apartment’s kitchen. Sure enough, the smells of fresh breakfast welcomed her. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you up this early on a day after work,” her roommate exclaimed upon seeing her. She was standing behind the kitchen counter frying pancakes on a griddle. Unlike Rey, Rose only worked on weekdays, so she often had the time to make homemade breakfasts on the weekends. She was still in her pajamas, soft pink shorts with a white camisole. Her dark hair was in a messy top knot, with her bangs framing her round face.

“Didn’t really have a choice,” Rey muttered back, “It just kind of happened.”

She pulled one of the barstools away from the counter and sat down across from her roommate.

“Would you like me to pour you a cup so you can cheer up?” Rose raised an eyebrow and motioned towards the coffee pot.

“Definitely.”

“When did you get in last night?” Rose asked as she retrieved the coffee pot and a mug and poured Rey a cup. She handed it to Rey, who took a grateful sip.

“Friday crowds are always a mess, so it takes extra time to clean up,” she said after swallowing, “Plus there was a lot of cash in the drawers to count. We were probably done closing at three. By the time I got here, showered, and changed, it was probably around four when I went to bed.”

“What time do you work tonight?” Rose removed some pancakes from the griddle, placing them on a plate and topping them with butter and syrup.

“Same hours. I need to be there at seven and I’ll be closing again.”

Rose slid the plate and a fork across the counter to her. “Eat up,” she said, “With a work schedule like yours, you definitely need it.”

Rey picked up the fork, turned it on its side, and began cutting at the pancakes. “Did you see the moving truck outside?” she asked, “I think we have new neighbors.”

“I did see that this morning when I first woke up,” Rose replied, “I haven’t seen them though. It’s strange, it looks like they arrived in the middle of the night. You didn’t see them when you came home last night?”

“No,” said Rey, “Maybe they were driving from cross country and just happened to arrive here at a weird time?”

“That might be it. My only hope is that they’re better than old Mrs. Stevens and her cats.”

Rose piled pancakes on to her own plate, adding pads of butter and syrup as she did with Rey’s.

Their previous neighbor was a stern elderly woman, who preferred the company of a plethora of cats to humans. She was constantly knocking on their door with nonsensical complaints about noise or any guests that the girls allowed to stay over. She had been forced to move out when the landlord discovered that she was holding more pets than what was allowed in her lease agreement. While Rose and Rey felt sympathetic to the woman losing her home, they were relieved to not have to deal with her constant grievances.

Rose and Rey continued to enjoy their breakfast, while speculating on what kind of a new neighbor could have moved in next door.

“I’m betting on them being an absolute shut-in,” said Rose, “I say that we’ll never see them, except for a few rare times. And they’ll come off as an absolute creep those few times.”

“I think the opposite,” said Rey, “They’ll be a party animal. People will always be over and there will be music so loud we can hear it through the walls.”

“Don’t say that!” said Rose, “You’ll jinx it.”

“Fine then.” Rey rolled her eyes, “I hope they’re completely normal and do completely normal things.”

Rey finished her last bite of pancake, picked up her plate, and rose from her seat. She made her way across the kitchen and placed her plate in the sink.

“While I would love to continue to make up stories about our new neighbor with you, I have some laundry to take care of and some sleep to catch up on,” she said.

Rey managed to wash her dark clothes, sheets, and delicates before deciding that it was time for lunch. It was already half past noon and she wanted to make sure she had plenty of time to nap and get ready before she had to leave for work. She prepared a chicken salad sandwich and quickly devoured it before returning to her bedroom. Her body could hardly resist the temptation of sleep the second it hit the mattress. Her eyes drifted shut and before she knew it, she was asleep.

* * *

“Rey!” she could hear Rose’s voice calling out to her, “ _Rey!”_

She felt a sharp nudge to her ribs.

“Rey! You overslept, you need to be at work in a half hour!”

Rey’s eyes snapped open. “...What?” she asked, still trying to process what was happening.

“You need to get up and get ready _now!_ ” Rose exclaimed.

Panic began to wash over her body as she realized what was happening. “ _Shit!”_ she cried, rolling out from the covers and off the mattress.

Rose stepped back, “Is there anything I can do?” she asked.

“No, but thank you,” Rey replied hurriedly. She marched over to her closet and pulled out the first thing that she could find, tight, black jeans and a deep purple halter top. She peeled her pajama shorts off and shimmied into the jeans. Rose nodded, turned away, and left the room so Rey could change her top.

Only a few moments later, Rey came frantically out of her room, with her hair in a ponytail and minimal makeup on. “Keys! I can’t find my car keys!” she shouted.

“Just take the spares out of that drawer in the kitchen,” Rose replied, “And breathe. I’m sure they can handle you being just a few minutes late.”

Rey rushed into the kitchen, hastily pulled open a drawer, and retrieved her spare car keys, stuffing them into her purse. “Alright I’m off,” she called to Rose as she swung open the front door, “I’ll see you tomorrow!”

* * *

After parking her car, Rey hurried down the small alleyway that led to the back entrance of Poe’s Bar. She opened the door and was greeted with the familiar sight of her workplace.

It wasn’t an extravagant establishment in any way, just an average local bar with lots of regular clientele from town and other surrounding areas. The back door led into a narrow hallway with restrooms, and opened up into the main serving area. The bar was on one side of the building, running alongside a wall with shelves of liquor of various levels of prestige. A door behind the bar led to the storage spaces, refrigerators, and dishwasher. The opposite walls were lined with horseshoe-shaped booths, and the rest of the floor space was filled in with high top tables. Rey made her way behind the bar to clock in and begin her service.

“Nice for you to join us tonight,” said the man who was currently serving drinks. He was in the middle of putting together what looked like a martini, pouring gin over ice in a shaker.

Poe was the owner and namesake of the establishment. Rey often believed part of the bar’s popularity was due to him. Charismatic and attractive, it almost seemed as if some female customers spent their weekend nights there just to be served by him. Tonight, he was wearing dark jeans and a grey button up shirt. The sleeves were rolled, exposing his smooth, tan forearms. His dark, curly hair was gently tousled.

Rey finished clocking in and turned to him. “I took a nap and overslept, I’m sorry,” she explained, “I’m here now, which is what matters.”

“I’m just messing with you,” Poe replied. He snapped the lid on the shaker, gave it a few strong shakes, and poured it into a martini glass, topping it with an olive. He gave Rey a short nod before turning to deliver the drink to his customer.

Rey turned her attention to the growing mass of customers waiting at the bar. Poe definitely needed her help. “What can I get for you tonight?” She called out to a young blonde woman, who from the way that she was tapping her fingers on the bar surface, seemed to have been waiting a while.

“I’ll do a vodka cranberry,” she replied, “and I’ll take a pint of Rolling Rock for my date.”

Rey nodded and reached out her hand to take the woman’s credit card. “Do you want to close out or keep the tab?” she asked.

“I’ll keep the tab open for now.”

Rey put the woman’s order into the sales kiosk and placed her credit card with all the other open tab cards. She then quickly mixed the vodka cranberry, and filled a glass with the beer.

“Thank you,” the woman said as Rey handed her the drinks.

* * *

It was about three hours into her shift when Poe came out of the storage door holding a tray. “Rey,” he called out.

She finished serving her current customer and made her way over to him. “Remember, I said we were doing these as a special tonight,” he said, “Would you mind taking them out to sell? They should be three dollars each, cash only.”

The tray was filled with a rainbow of Jello shots. “Are you sure you don’t need help back here?” Rey asked.

“I’ll be fine,” said Poe, “If anything, giving them another option might lessen the demand.”

“Three dollars?” she asked.

“Three dollars,” he confirmed, “Cash only.”

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

Rey grabbed a cash pouch, took the tray, and made her way out from the bar and on to the floor. It was already past ten, when the weekend crowds usually began to get more rowdy. The shots practically sold themselves. She felt the tray getting gradually lighter as she made her way through the crowds and tables. The cash pouch was starting to grow thick with bills that the customers were all too eager to hand over. She was about half way across the floor when something caught her eye. Her customer from earlier this evening was sat inside one of the booths with her date, and she looked incredibly uncomfortable.

The man looked like he had a few too many. His dark hair was disheveled, with a piece flopping down in front of his face. He was getting handsy with the girl, draping an arm around her shoulders and attempting to lean closer in to her. Rey could see her discomfort in how she cringed against his touch and flinched away as he attempted to plant a kiss on her cheek. She seemed to be pleading with him to let her out of the table.

Rey collected the money from her latest sale and made straight for the table. “Is everything going alright over here?” she asked the pair in her friendliest customer service voice.

“Everything is just fine sweetheart,” the man replied with a smirk. The blond woman gave an unenthusiastic nod in agreement.

“Are you sure there’s not anything I can get you? Nothing at all?” Rey asked.

The woman shook her head. “We’re absolutely fine over here,” the man added.

“Well if you think of something you need later, feel free to let me know,” Rey paused and looked directly at the woman, “And I do mean anything.”

The man began shifting in his seat uncomfortably. “I told you we’re fine,” he snapped, “Now I think it’s best that you leave us alone for the night.”

Rey backed away slowly, trying to keep an appearance of calm as to not further escalate the situation. “Very well,” she said, and turned around and walked away.

She knew that she needed to tell someone. This wasn’t the first time that she encountered a situation like this at work before, but unfortunately with the woman unwilling to ask for help, her hands were tied. She continued to sell shots, slowly making her way towards the front door. If anything, she at least needed to let security know to keep an eye on the couple.

“Finn!” she shouted to the bouncer stationed at the bar’s entrance, waving to catch his attention.

Finn was the lead bouncer at the bar, and was one of Rey’s favorite coworkers. He was always there to help when dodgy situations arose, not only as part of his job, but as a trustworthy friend. He had helped prevent numerous drunken brawls, as well as protect the female bartenders and customers from the occasional creeps.

Finn gave her a short nod in response, and motioned for her to come to him. Rey fought her way through the crowd and made it to him. She motioned for him to lean closer so their conversation could be more discreet. “Do you see that couple over there?” she asked, “In the booth, blond woman, very drunk guy?”

Finn scanned the booths and nodded when he saw them. “I need you to keep an eye on them,” said Rey, “I saw him being a little too pushy with her. I checked in on them, but she claimed that she was okay. If you see it start to escalate, help her.”

“Of course,” Finn replied, “I’ll step in if she needs me.”

“Thank you,” Rey replied, “I have to go sell more shots now.”

* * *

The rest of the evening was relatively uneventful. Rey earned herself a decent amount of tips, and Poe gave her a small cut of the money from the shot special as commission. Finn updated her about the couple as they closed. They had apparently left only a while later with no other issues. They finished closing at around three and Rey headed home.

Rey was beyond exhausted when she reached the front door to her apartment building that night. There was nothing that she was looking more forward to than collapsing in bed and wrapping herself in herself in the soft, silky covers. The time it took her to punch in the door code and climb the stairs to her door seemed like an eternity. When she finally reached the front door to her apartment, she dug into her purse to retrieve her key and was suddenly hit with a horrible realization. She had brought her spare key set with her that night.

Her landlord only gave one key copy per resident, and hers was currently attached to the key set that she lost before work. She was locked out. “No,” she groaned, taking out her phone and dialing Rose’s number. It was unlikely that her roommate would be awake at this time.

When there was no answer she tried knocking on the door with little success. She put her face in her hand and shook her head. This could not be happening. With a sigh, she tried calling Rose and knocking on the front door again. With her stress and focus on the problem at hand, she did not notice the sound of a lock clicking and handle turning on the door next to hers. Nor did she notice the sound of footsteps approaching her.

“Can I help you?” a deep voice asked.

Rey turned around, startled. She lowered her phone and ended the call.

The man standing next to her was tall, at least a head taller than her. He was wearing a pair of slim black slacks, with a short sleeved white V-neck shirt that clung loosely to his slim, toned body. His pale, slightly freckled face was framed by dark, soft waves of hair. His eyes were a deep brown, and rimmed with the slightest dark circles.

Rey took a step back. “I’m sorry,” the man continued, “I didn’t mean to startle you. It’s just so late and I heard you outside. I thought you might have needed help.”

“Who are you?” she asked.

“I just moved in to that unit last night,” he replied, motioning to the door next to Rey’s “Do you live in this one?”

“I do,” Rey answered hesitantly, “I just got home from work. I mixed up my keys and now I think I’m locked out for the night. That is unless my roommate can wake up and answer her phone.”

She returned her attention to her phone and dialed Rose’s phone number again, holding her phone up to her ear.

“That’s unfortunate. However, this is a strange hour to be getting home from work,” the man said.

“And this is a strange hour to be coming out of your apartment and meeting your new neighbor,” she snapped back “What is your name anyway?

“Ben.”

The trilling of the phone line stopped, and the tone of Rose’s voicemail played once again. Rey sighed and ended the call. “I’m sorry Ben,” she said, “I’ve probably come off quite rude and snappy. I’ve just had a long day and would really like to get home now.”

“I just thought I would get some fresh air,” said Ben, “I’ve been unpacking all night and I needed a break.”

“What?” asked Rey.

“You said it was a strange hour for me to be awake and outside,” Ben explained, “I was just simply providing context.”

Rey looked up at him and narrowed her eyes slightly. “That’s still a little strange, unpacking your apartment this late at night,” she said.

“Not for me,” replied Ben, “I tend to prefer to work during the night.”

“Yet you find it strange that I work during the night.”

“Well I have a reason.”

“And what says I don’t?”

The sound of a lock turning over interrupted their conversation. The handle on Rey’s door turned, and it swung open to reveal Rose in her pajamas, covered by a hastily tied robe.

“Rey,” she said groggily, eyes squinting, “It’s past three in the morning.”

Rey paused for a moment, suddenly remembering why she was in the hallway in the first place.

“Oh... thank god!” she said, “I am so sorry Rose. My key was on my other key set.”

Rose turned to Ben, a confused look growing on her face. Rey then realized that Rose had noticed her current company. “And that’s Ben,” she said, “the new neighbor. He heard me out here and wanted to make sure I was okay.”

“Hi Ben,” said Rose, “Goodnight Ben. Rey, get inside. I want to go back to sleep.”

She grabbed Rey by the arm and pulled her into the apartment. “Goodnight,” Rey called as Rose shut the door.

Once inside, Rey attempted to apologize and thank Rose again. However, her roommate swiftly returned to her bedroom, not wanting to waste a second more of sleep. _Maybe I ought to wake up early and make the pancakes tomorrow,_ she thought. She sighed and headed to her room, more than ready to call it a night.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy shit! I was not expecting this many hits and kudos on a first chapter. Thank you thank you thank you to those who left kudos, Elixir BB for the lovely comment, and MFA101 for the help with the tags. Tags have been updated and will probably continue to update as this fic grows.
> 
> Enjoy the next chapter, and thank you to everyone again for the love!
> 
> Chapter Content Warnings: None (:

Sundays were always easy days to work, and Rey looked forward to it, especially after the last couple hectic nights. The crowds were smaller and much more tame, and a majority of customers were out by midnight. She could usually spend most of the night peacefully behind the bar instead of running one of Poe’s specials, or calling Finn in to break up some rowdy customers. She usually took home less tips, but it sometimes felt worth it for the reduced stress.

It was around ten when he came in. He stepped through the front entrance with his head, and despite his efforts to not draw attention to himself, she couldn’t help but see him. Even if it were one of their busiest, loudest nights, she was sure she couldn’t miss him. Something about him drew her attention like nothing else. He took a seat at the bar and looked up, his eyes meeting hers.

“Ben?” she breathed.

“I’m sorry,” he said softly, “I didn’t mean to intrude on your workplace. I just wanted to have some time out of my apartment and see the town and this was one of the closest places. I can go if you want.”

“No,” she said, shaking her head in an attempt to snap out of it, “Stay. You’re okay. What can I get for you?”

“A bottle of Tru Blood, if you have it.”

Rey’s eyes widened. While she would admit that she found it strange that he was up so late the previous night, she would never made the assumption that he was a vampire. Although they had “come out of the coffin” and integrated into human society, their presence was still incredibly rare, and as far as she knew they usually kept to their own kind. Before that moment, she had yet to see or meet one. Now that she knew, it started to make sense. Not only was he awake and active later than most when she met him, but his pristine pale skin looked as if it had not seen the sun in centuries. She wondered if it was cold to the touch like she had heard vampire skin was supposed to be.

“I- I think we may have some in the back,” she replied, “We ordered some when it was first available, but no one ever bought it. Since then we’ve only kept a limited supply.”

“If you have it, I prefer O negative,” said Ben.

Rey gave him a small, reassuring smile. She turned to Poe to ask him to watch the bar before she made her way to the storage room. It took a good few moments, but she finally managed to find a small package of bottles resting on a shelf in one of the more neglected corners of the room. She pulled a single bottle out of the package and put it in the small microwave that was next to the dishwasher. Tru Blood was a bottled imitation of human blood, developed by Japanese scientists in recent times. Its development was what helped vampires be able to integrate into human society, as they no longer needed to hunt and kill to feed. It was usually served warm to make it more comparable to the real thing.

The microwave beeped and Rey took out the bottle, tapping her fingers on it to make sure it wasn’t too hot. It seemed to be the right temperature, but she wasn’t entirely sure. This was a first for her. She exited the storage room, returning to her place behind the bar.

“We only had B positive,” she said as she approached Ben, holding out the bottle, “And it’s pretty close to expiring. If you want to come by here more often, I can let Poe know and he can order more.”

Ben took the bottle, his fingers brushing hers. She resisted the urge to shudder at his touch; it was ice cold, confirming her thoughts. He unscrewed the cap and took a sip. “It’s fine, and that would be nice of you both. Are you sure you don’t mind me coming here?”

“Well that depends on how good of a tipper you are,” she replied, smirking.

Ben smiled back and took another sip. “How much for the drink?” he asked.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Rey.

Ben held out a small handful of cash. “I said don’t worry about it,” said Rey, “We didn’t have the kind you wanted and I’m not even sure if I prepared it right. You can pay me when you actually get what you want.”

“It really is fine,” said Ben, “I insist. And you can keep the change as a tip”

He once again held out the handful of cash to Rey, who reluctantly took it. “I’ll take it for now,” she said, “but I feel as though I owe you now.”

She left him to put the order into the sale system, depositing some of the cash into the drawer.

“If you really feel that way,” he said, when she returned “maybe you can be of some help to me.”

“How?”

“I seem to be having trouble having my internet installed at my place. A lot of companies don’t send out their techs at night. I think it might be because they’re still a little fearful of my kind. Do you know of any places in town that might be willing to do it?”

“I can probably do you even better,” Rey replied, “My roommate actually works as an installation tech. I could talk to her about getting some supplies from work and doing it for you.”

“That would be appreciated,” said Ben.

“I can talk to her tomorrow morning before she leaves for work and I can let you know? I’ll leave a note under your door so I don’t wake you up.”

Ben gave her a nod.

“Excuse me miss but can I get margarita, on the rocks please?” a middle aged red-headed woman asked, interrupting their conversation.

Rey reluctantly turned away from Ben. “Sure thing,” she replied, “Would you like to close out or open a tab?”

* * *

Rey made sure to set an alarm early enough to catch Rose before she left for work. She had the day off so she could always go back to sleep later. She managed to catch her seated at the kitchen counter in her work uniform, eating a bagel.

“What in the world are you doing up at this time?” Rose asked, “You worked last night, you must be exhausted!”

“Yeah I am,” Rey replied, “but I had to catch you before work. You won’t believe what happened during my shift last night.”

“For you to want to wake up this early to tell me, it must be good.” Rose put her bagel down and crossed her arms.

“Ben came into the bar.”

“Our neighbor Ben? The one who was in the hallway with you in the early hours of the morning?”

“Yes. And you’ll never guess what he ordered.”

“I don’t know?” Rose replied, slightly annoyed, “An appletini? Rey, just tell me, I have to leave soon.”

“He ordered a bottle of Tru Blood.”

Rose’s jaw dropped open. “Ben’s a vampire?” she asked, “Well I guess that would explain why he was up at that ungodly hour with you. But still, we live next door to a vampire? I’m going to have to get some extra locks to put on the door after work today.”

“Rose, I don’t think you need to do that,” said Rey, “Just because he’s a vampire does not mean he plans to hurt us. I mean, he was drinking Tru Blood. They have that to survive on now, they don’t need to hurt humans anymore.”

“That’s the key word Rey, ‘survive.’ We can technically survive on drinking SlimFast shakes, but no one would find that satisfying. Real food is just too good and tempting, and that’s what we are to them, real food.”

“Well then you’re not going to like the other thing I wanted to talk to you about then,” Rey looked down at the floor, “He’s having trouble scheduling installation for his internet, so I said I would talk to you about it.”

“Rey!” Rose cried, “You did not just volunteer me to go in to some random vampire’s home!”

“I’m sorry!” she replied, “He was just telling me about how difficult it was, since no one is willing to send a tech out at night. I just wanted to help. He seems like an okay guy.”

“He seems like it until he hypnotizes you with his vampire powers and sucks the life out of you.”

“Would you do it if I go with you?”

Rose paused to think. “I guess,” she replied, “I would need to get a modem and some cables from work today, but I can do it tomorrow night.”

“Thank you,” said Rey, “I’ll let him know.”

Rose turned to look at the clock on the stove. “I guess I’ll just have to take this bagel to go,” she said, “It’s time for me to leave.”

She picked up her purse from the counter and headed for the front door. “All I’m saying Rey,” she said as she opened it, “Is that we better be there to put in his internet, not to be his delivery dinner.”

Rose stepped outside and shut the door.

After she was gone, Rey retrieved a piece of paper and a pen from her room and wrote a quick note for Ben.

_My roommate says that she can help you with your internet on the condition that I come with her. She is free tomorrow night. Let me know if that works for you?_

She left her phone number and signed her name. She then stepped outside of her apartment, folded the note in half, and slid it under his door.

Later that night she received a text message from a new number.

_It’s Ben_ , it read, _That should be fine with me. Thank you for your help. I look forward to it._

* * *

Rose stood outside of Ben’s door, installation supplies in hand. Her apprehension was sensed by her roommate, who had held true to her promise to come along.

“Just knock,” Rey urged her.

Rose stayed silent.

“It’s not like he’s going to bite,” Rey continued sarcastically.

Rose turned to argue back, but before she could say anything the front door swung open. “Hello there,” said Ben, “Thank you so much for doing this for me.”

“You’re welcome,” Rose replied hastily, “Can you direct me to your port so I can start setting everything up?”

“Right this way.” Ben held the door open and Rose and Rey entered his apartment.

It was not at all what Rey expected a vampire’s home to look like. A large, dark grey sectional couch took up most of the living room. In front of it was a sleek glass coffee table sat on top of a rug that matched the color of the couch. On the opposite wall was a modern style entertainment center. A few stray boxes were present in various spots around the room, most likely still left to empty from the move. Further back in the apartment from the living room was a small kitchen, which seemed to be almost barren aside from the provided appliances. This was understandable, as Rey realized it was not of much use to him.

“The port’s over here,” said Ben, leading Rose to a wall outlet next to the entertainment center. “You can put the modem on one of the entertainment center shelves.”

Rose nodded at him and dropped her tool kit on the floor next to it. She knelt down and began unscrewing the port cover.

“Would either of you like a glass of water?” asked Ben. Rose shook her head. Rey nodded.

“Come with me then,” said Ben, making his way to the kitchen.

He took a glass out of an almost empty cabinet. “Well this is a change,” said Rey, “you serving me a drink. Typically, it’s the other way around.”

Ben smiled as he took a pitcher of water out of his fridge. “You can’t drink water though,” she observed, “Why do you have that?”

“Well, being that I am about two-hundred years old,” he replied, filling up the glass, “I was raised in and have lived through many eras in which being a gracious host was valued. I like to keep some basic refreshments on hand just in case I happen to have any humans in my home.” He handed her the glass.

“Do you have humans in your home often?”

He was silent for a moment. “It appears as if I make your roommate nervous,” he said, changing the subject.

“She’s a little paranoid about vampires,” Rey replied, taking a small sip from the glass, “She was afraid that you were going to hypnotize her and have her for dinner.”

Ben let out a small chuckle.

“Can you guys do that?” she asked, “I’ve heard about it, but people make up so many things about vampires these days that it’s hard to tell the fact from the fiction.”

“It’s called glamouring,” Ben replied, “it puts you in a relaxed state, so you are more easily able to fall under our influence. We would use it when hunting humans as prey. It would make them more cooperative and make the experience much easier for both parties.”

“That sounds a lot like hypnosis to me.”

“People remember what happened during hypnosis. Those who have been glamoured typically don’t remember the experience. So it would also make the feeding process much less traumatic for the human.”

“Try it on me,” said Rey, “I want to know what it’s like.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“It’s not something that I like to do,” he said, “I only do it when I have to, and even then, I feel guilty afterwards.”

“Can you turn into a bat?” asked Rey.

“No. That’s another silly legend humans came up with.”

“What about garlic? Does it hurt you?”

“Not in the way that humans would imagine. It’s only slightly irritating, like a mild allergy. Silver, however, is much more dangerous.”

He reached out and touched the small silver pendant necklace that Rey was wearing. He winced slightly in pain as his flesh made a sizzling sound. He pulled his finger away to reveal the burnt flesh. In a moment, it healed itself back up.

“Holy shit,” Rey said under her breath.

“Do you have any other questions?”

“Your apartment doesn’t really look how I imagined it,” she said.

“That wasn’t a question,” he replied, “but how so?”

“It just looks so... normal.”

“Were you expecting coffins, tattered rugs, and flickering candles?”

Rey shrugged.

“I think you’ll find most of the things you’ve heard about my kind are not true,” said Ben, stepping towards Rey. She drew in a sharp breath, surprised by the sudden closeness.

“We should go see how your roommate’s work is coming along,” he said, and stepped around her, heading to the living room. Rey set the glass on the counter and followed.

“How is it coming,” Rey asked.

“Great,” Rose replied, “It’s just about done. I just need to plug in these last few cables and everything should be set up and good to go.”

She clicked a pair of yellow cables into the modem and little green lights began to blink. “Here,” she said, holding out a small card to Ben, “Is all your information to get logged on. It has the network name and the password. If you have any problems you can let Rey know and I’ll arrange a time to come over and fix it.”

“Thank you,” said Ben, “I very much appreciate it.”

“I think we ought to be going now,” Rey said, “Rose has work early tomorrow and I promised that I wouldn’t keep her up too late. Will I see you at Poe’s any time soon?”

“Perhaps,” Ben replied, “Good night to you both. I’ll show you out.”

He led Rey and Rose to his front door and held it open. The pair stepped outside into the hallway and Ben shut the door behind them.

“See, I told you he wasn’t so bad,” said Rey as they entered their apartment.

“I’m still not sure,” said Rose, “He was nice but I still don’t know if I entirely trust him.”

“How so?”

“Rey, he was looking at you like you were a snack!”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi all! This update was a little slower than the last one because I was finishing up the last few projects and assignments for my grad school courses. The good news is that I have finished for the year and I am halfway done with my master’s degree! I am hoping to have a summer full of writing and either finish or come close to finishing this before I get busy again.
> 
> Thank you to all of the new readers, as well as everyone who left kudos and comments! This is probably the fastest I’ve ever seen a fic of mine grow. I’m not sure if it’s the different community or better writing from when I was younger, but either way I am so grateful for it all.
> 
> Chapter Content Warnings: There is another uncomfortable date situation with alcohol, as well as extreme violence almost resulting in non-con (it is stopped before it can happen).

A week had passed since Rey had awaken to a moving truck outside her window and had a late night encounter with her new neighbor outside her apartment door. Despite the fact that she was now having regular encounters with a vampire, her life felt almost normal again as she fell back into her typical routines. It was just another Saturday and she was at work making drinks and earning a decent amount of tips.

“You’ll be happy to know that I didn’t have any specials for you to sell tonight,” said Poe as he poured a round of whiskey shots.

“Glad to hear it,” replied Rey, who was adding the finishing touches to a long island iced tea, “I’d like to see you make yourself a sex object for the purpose of selling alcohol.”

Poe snorted and handed the whiskey shots over the bar to his customer. “Hey,” he said, “cheer up. Your boyfriend’s here.”

Rey looked to the bar’s entrance and saw Ben slowly making his way through the crowds. “He’s not my boyfriend,” she protested, “he just lives by me and comes here to get out of the house.”

“Right,” Poe replied, “and I’m sure the service here has nothing to do with it.”

Rey rolled her eyes at him and crossed her arms.

“Go,” he said, “I’ll cover the bar while you make his... whatever that is.”

Rey pushed past him and made her way to the storage room. Poe had fortunately agreed to stock a small supply of Tru Blood to satisfy Ben’s needs, and even ordered his preferred type. He was coming in every few days to have some. While it was possible for him to buy it at the store and drink at home, he had said that he enjoyed the opportunity to get out and talk to people. By people, he must have meant Rey, as he rarely ever spoke with anyone but her. Poe liked to poke fun at the development of her new friendship to her annoyance, but she couldn’t help but admit that she did enjoy his presence at the bar.

She took a single bottle out of the case, put it in the microwave, and waited for it to warm. After it was done she felt the bottle for a quick temperature check. For something that was initially so unknown and foreign to her, preparing bottles of Tru Blood was quickly becoming a new normal.

Ben was already waiting for her, cash in hand. “Well if it isn’t my most generous tipper,” she said as she approached him. She handed him the bottle in exchange for the cash.

“I’m glad to see you tonight,” he said.

Rey counted the bills, pocketing those that exceeded the cost of the drink. “As am I,” she replied.

Ben unscrewed the cap of his bottle and took a drink. A small amount of red liquid lingered on his bottom lip. The tip of his tongue darted out of his mouth to catch it.

“I was thinking,” he said, “I wanted to thank you for your help earlier this week.”

“How so?”

“I would like to pick you up some dinner after you are done tonight, or at least a snack if you’re not hungry. You could visit my place until sunrise if you would like and you can ask me more of those obnoxious questions of yours.”

“Are you asking me on a date Ben?” she asked.

“No,” he said, “I promise it will be completely platonic. With my current state of being I don’t really find myself fit for relationships.”

“Vampires don’t date?”

“Some of us do. I just find that being what I am often complicates the situation.”

“Rey!” Poe called out from the other end of the bar, “I would really appreciate some help here!”

Rey let out an annoyed sigh. “I’m coming,” she called back, “Be there in a second!”

She turned back to Ben. “Meet me out back,” she said, “I should be done at around three. Until then, hang out and enjoy your drink?”

“I look forward to it” said Ben. He picked up his bottle and turned away from the bar.

“Rey!” Poe called out again.

“Coming!” Rey shouted back and she hurried to his aid. However, her focus couldn’t help but linger on her neighbor as he sat at an empty high top and drank alone.

* * *

Jealousy didn’t seem like the right word, but Rey felt _something_ as she watched Ben from across the room. Since leaving Rey to do her work at the bar, he had spent his time alone at his table, until now.

A woman in a form fitting red dress had entered the bar, and her attention instantly fell on him. Rey watched as she made a direct route to him and sat down at his table. She tucked a dark curl behind her ear and twirled it as she leaned in to talk to him. Her other hand, the one that was not preoccupied with twirling her hair, reached out to gently touch his arm.

“It looks like your boyfriend has moved on to someone new,” observed Poe, who had noticed her staring.

“For the last time,” Rey said with a groan, “he is not my boyfriend. Even if I wanted him to be, he couldn’t. Ben doesn’t date.”

“Are you sure about that?” Poe asked, “He doesn’t seem to be rejecting it.”

Rey watched as he leaned in towards the woman, saying something back. She couldn’t read what it was, but she began to get an idea when, to her horror, he got out of his seat, held out his hand, and began to leave with her. Rey’s stomach dropped and her heart began racing. She couldn’t help feeling this way, and she was mad at herself for it. She had no ownership or commitment from him, yet she felt completely betrayed.

Poe put a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry,” he said, “I shouldn’t have teased you about him.”

“Like I said,” Rey said dryly, “he’s not my boyfriend. There’s nothing to be upset about.”

She pulled away from Poe. “Besides,” she continued, “It looks as though we may potentially have another problem on our hands tonight.”

Rey’s customer from the previous week, the one with the uncomfortable date, had just entered the bar. This time, he was with a different date. This one was still pretty like the last and from the looks of it, had no idea what she was about to get herself into. The man locked eyes with Rey, gave her an intimidating glare, and took his date by the arm to one of the booths in the far end of the bar.

“We’ll keep an eye on them,” Poe reassured her.

* * *

As her work night continued, Rey couldn’t help but stare at the front door, hoping to see Ben’s figure in the crowds. It felt silly to her, but she couldn’t help but think that there was still a chance of him coming back. She was handing a pair of gin and tonics over the bar to an awaiting customer when she felt a light tap on her arm. She felt a sense of annoyance at first. The bar was busy, and she was doing the best that she could to serve customers as quickly as possible. Whoever it came from needed to learn to wait patiently. However, her anger faded when she turned to face the young woman who came in with her pushy customer from the previous week.

“How can I help you?” Rey asked.

The woman bit her lip and looked around nervously. “I- I’m supposed to get him another Rolling Rock,” she said.

“Will that be all?”

She looked around again and slightly leaned over the bar. “I need a ride home,” she said in a hushed tone.

Rey’s eyes immediately darted to the man, who was sitting alone in one of the more isolated booths. “Vodka soda it is then,” she said.

“I don’t think you heard me right,” said the woman frantically, “I need-“

Rey cut her off. “Play. Along.” she said quietly, “And listen carefully while I make your drinks.”

Rey grabbed a beer glass and began filling it from the tap. She handed it to the woman. “After I hand you your drink I need you to bring these back to your table,” she said, “and tell him you need to use the ladies’ room.”

She looked to make sure that the man was not watching them. Then, she picked up a plain glass and filled it with ice and plain soda. “Go back there and lock the door,” she continued, topping the drink with a shot of vodka, “My associate from up front will come and find you. He will call a ride and he will wait with you out back until it comes for you.”

She garnished the glass with a lime slice and slid the finished drink to the woman. “Say thank you if you understand.”

“Thank you,” the woman replied, nodding.

The second that she left, Rey gently grabbed Poe by his shirt to get his attention. “I need you to relay a message to Finn,” she said, “Creep guy over there is at it again, only this time his date is trying to leave. She should have dropped the drinks off at the table and should be making her way to the ladies’ room. Can you see her doing that now?”

“Yes,” Poe replied.

“Good,” said Rey, “Now I need you to tell Finn that he needs to call a ride for her and make sure that she gets to it safely. I told her to lock the door to the bathroom and that he would come find her there.”

Poe scanned the room to make sure that their plan was not being discovered. The man was still in his seat, tending to his drink, and seemed oblivious to what was happening. “I’m on it,” he said, “watch the bar while I’m gone.”

Poe made his way out from behind the bar and through the crowds to Finn at the front door. Rey watched as he tapped Finn on the shoulder, pulled him close, and briefed him on the situation. She was trying her best to take orders and make drinks, but her heart was racing with the fear of the man finding out. Based on their previous encounter, the situation would more than definitely escalate if he were to find out what was taking place. She watched as Poe took Finn’s place at the door, checking customers’ identification, while Finn entered the bar and crossed through the crowds towards the restrooms and the back door.

He was most likely gone for around ten minutes, but it felt like hours to Rey, as she waited for confirmation that the woman was safe and that they had mitigated the situation. When Finn came back inside giving her a reassuring look, she felt the weight of her anxiety leave her body. He replaced Poe at the entrance and Poe returned to his spot serving at the bar.

The feeling of relief was short lived, however, as she looked back to the booth where the man sat and saw him showing signs of becoming increasingly impatient. She could see the tension in his face as he scanned the room for his date, his mouth locked into an angry scowl. He finished the rest of his drink and slammed the glass on the table in a fit of rage. It was then that he noticed Rey watching him, and it seemed that it was at that moment when the realization hit him. His date was gone, and he knew that she had something to do with it. Rey felt her breath stop in panic as he rose from his seat. She turned, looking for Poe for help and preparing for the worst. However, when she looked back into the crowd, the man was gone.

* * *

It was just past three when the bar was clean and the last of the night’s cash was counted. Rey had been slightly jumpy for the remainder of her shift after her second encounter with her previously unruly customer. She was waiting for him to return and confront her, but it never happened. Poe had agreed to continue to watch for him, and deny him entrance if he attempted to come to the bar again.

“I’m sorry about everything,” said Poe, “between that vampire boy of yours and that creep, I’m sure you’ve had better nights than this.”

He reached out his arms and pulled Rey in for a comforting hug. “Come on now,” he said, “let’s go home for the night.”

He took her by the arm and led her out the back door. Once it was closed he pulled the building keys out of his pocket and locked up, while Rey waited for him. “It’s understandable if you don’t want to come in tomorrow,” he continued, “I can get someone to cover for you.”

“No, really, it’s fine,” said Rey, “You’re keeping a lookout for him and you said he wouldn’t be allowed back in. I’ve dealt with my fair share of disorderly customers here.”

“What about the vampire?”

“What about him? I’ve known him for a week. I’m not going to let him make me so upset that I can’t do my job.”

“Rey,” Poe protested.

“Poe. I promise I’ll be fine tomorrow. I’ll see you then, okay?”

Poe nodded and held out his arm. “Come on, I’ll walk you to your car.”

“Actually,” Rey replied, “I might just need a minute alone. You go ahead.”

“You don’t actually think he’s still meeting you, do you?”

“No, but I still want to hold on to the hope for just a minute.”

Poe shrugged and gave her a half smile. “Goodnight then,” he said, and he turned and walked down the alley.

Rey sighed, closed her eyes, and leaned against the bar’s back wall. Soft tears began to silently fall down her cheeks as the events from the night played through her head. After a minute, she opened her eyes, took a deep breath, and wiped the tears away. It was late and she needed to get home and sleep.

She reached into her purse, took out her car keys, and began the walk to her car at the end of the alley. She was almost there when she was hit hard across the jaw, the force causing her to fall face down on the ground. A metallic taste filled her mouth as it filled with warm blood. She spit some of it out and pushed her palms down on the pavement in an attempt to sit up. Her attempted proved useless, as she was then met with a hard kick to her ribs. Rey gasped for air as the breath left her body.

“Fucking _bitch,_ ” a familiar voice sneered, “can’t mind her own god damn _business!_ ”

It was the male customer who came in with the date that Rey helped. “This is what happens,” he continued, “when you mess with things that don’t involve you!”

He gave her another sharp kick to the stomach and then to the face. Rey rolled over, groaning from the pain. The man stood over her, examining his work. Rey felt a sudden surge of adrenaline and knew that this was her best opportunity to get away. She used whatever remaining strength she had to kick his feet out from under him. He shouted in pain and fell, yelling more obscenities at her. She then pushed herself up from the ground and made a run for her car.

Unfortunately, she was not fast enough. Just as she reached her car door, she felt a sharp yank from her hair, pulling her back to the man. “You thought you could get away so easily?” he snarled.

He slammed her face first on to the hood of her car, holding her down with his body. Rey could feel her head spin from the impact. “You _ruined_ my chances with that lovely woman of mine tonight,” he said, “And now, I think you _owe me_ for it.”

He ran his hands up and down Rey’s exposed thighs, fingering the hem of her denim skirt. She choked out a sob as she realized what was happening.

“You know you would be a _fine_ piece of ass if you weren’t so nosy,” he said as he hiked up her skirt.

“No...” Rey said weakly. She was trying to struggle, but she could feel the strength leaving her body.

She heard the sound of a belt buckle and at that moment she was prepared to leave her body. However, it never came. Instead, he disappeared and she heard the sound of a loud, sudden crack. Cold hands wrapped themselves around her body and turned her over. Through her blurring vision she saw a recognizable pale face, framed by soft dark hair.

“Rey,” said Ben with a slight tone of panic in his voice. She was struggling to breathe and her face was swollen from what was likely broken bones. The skin on her forehead was beginning to raise to form a large, ugly bump. Blood poured from her nose and her mouth.

She tried to reply, but she found herself feeling too weak and the words too hard to come by. “Don’t speak,” said Ben, “I’m going to help but I need you to trust me.”

He removed one of his arms from underneath her, protracted his fangs, and bit in to the porcelain skin of his wrist. Blood pooled out from the wound and he held it up to her mouth.

“Drink,” he urged, “Hurry, before it heals.”

Rey hesitantly lifted her head to the wound and began to suck. Ben cradled her head and stroked her hair. After a few seconds, she became more eager, falling under the blood’s influence and craving more. “Careful,” said Ben softly, “You can’t be having too much. I’ll need to stop you soon.”

Rey continued to slurp from the wound as if she did not hear him. “Hey,” he said, “that should be enough.”

He pulled his arm away from her and within seconds the wound sealed itself. He then watched as her injuries began to fade. First, the bleeding stopped. Then the bump on her forehead shrunk until it disappeared, followed by the swelling on the rest of her face. Her facial bones moved back into place with a crunching sound. When the healing ceased, her eyes began to fall shut and she let out a small whimper. Ben pulled her close to him, once again cradling her head in one of his hands. “You’re okay now,” he said, “sleep and I can take you home.”

He gently laid her back down on the hood of the car to find her car keys, which were in her purse lying on the ground next to her. He then unlocked the doors, scooped her into his arms, and placed her in the passenger seat, taking care to strap her in. After taking care to adjust the driver’s seat to his own height, he pulled out of the alley and towards their apartment building.

* * *

Rose was once again awakened by the noise of frantic banging on her front door. As with the previous time, she was annoyed to have her sleep interrupted. “Rey I swear I will tie those damn keys to you if you keep forgetting them like this!” she shouted as she put on her robe made her way to the door.

When she opened it she was met with an unexpected sight. “ _What did you do to her?_ ” she cried.

Ben was holding her roommate in his arms and it appeared as if she was unconscious. Trails of dried blood were coming out of her nose and the corner of her mouth.

“Rose, listen,” Ben said firmly, “I _saved_ her. She will be okay, she just needs a safe place to sleep right now. Invite me in so I can put her down.”

“If it’s so urgent, why are you waiting for an invitation. Can’t you just use your weird vampire strength to bust the door open?”

“I cannot enter a mortal’s home without an invitation,” he explained, “Rose, please, let me in for Rey.”

Rose let out a sigh. “You can come in Ben,” she said, “Now how can I help her?”

Ben came inside the apartment and brought Rey to the living room. “Can you get some sheets? I’ll put her down to sleep here. And some towels too. We should clean her up the best we can?”

Rose rushed to the linens closet and brought the items to Ben. “I’ll go get a bowl of warm water from the kitchen,” she said.

She walked to the kitchen and pulled a glass bowl out of one of the cabinets. She brought it to the sink and turned on the faucet, feeling the stream of water for temperature. “What the hell happened to her?” she called to Ben.

“She was attacked outside of Poe’s,” Ben replied, “I found her while it was happening. We were supposed to meet up after she closed but I was late and he got to her.”

Rose came back into the living room with the bowl.

“I took care of the guy,” Ben continued, “and I healed her with my blood.”

He reached for a towel, dipped it in the bowl, and began gently dabbing the blood off of Rey’s face.

“You healed her with your _what_?” asked Rose.

“Vampire blood can be used to heal injuries,” Ben replied, “either by applying it to the wounds directly or ingesting it. She was beat up pretty bad, so I had her drink some.”

“And are there side effects?”

“Her senses will be intensified when she wakes up. She’ll feel stronger too. It will go away after a while, though.”

Ben finished cleaning the last of the blood from Rey’s face and placed the dirty towel in the bowl. He then reached out and gently tucked a stray strand of hair out of her face.

“Are you sure you don’t want any of this to eat?” asked Rose as she picked up the bowl.

“Thank you but I prefer it fresh,” replied Ben sarcastically.

He rose from his position on the floor. “The sun will be up soon,” he said, “I will need to leave for home. Please let me know how she is doing tomorrow night.”

Rose looked up at him. “Slightly mean comments aside,” she said, “thank you for saving her.”

“I didn’t even have to think twice about it,” said Ben, “Remember to let me know how she is tomorrow.”

And with that, he stepped around Rose and left.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi friends! I have another chapter for you! As always, thank you to everyone who has taken the time to stop by and read, especially those who have left comments and kudos. You all help keep me motivated. *hugs*
> 
> Chapter Content Warnings: There are some references and flashbacks to Rey’s assault in the previous chapter which includes violence and non-con.

_“You ruined my chances with that lovely woman of mine tonight,” he said, “And now, I think you owe me for it.”_

_She felt rough hands running up and down her thighs, gripping the hem of her skirt. His body pinned her to her car. She could smell the alcohol on his breath._

_“No...” she said weakly, despite knowing that it would do little to stop him._

“No!” Rey screamed and jolted awake. She found herself wrapped in blankets and sitting up on the couch in her living room, fighting to breathe. Her chest felt tight and with each breath she took she still could not find air. She gripped the edges of the blanket and wailed as she continued to hyperventilate.

“Rey?” Rose called from the kitchen.

She ran into the living room and immediately threw her arms around Rey. “You’re safe now Rey,” she said, “I need you to breathe. You’re safe. You don’t need to worry about him now.”

Tears streamed down Rey’s face as she clung to Rose. Minutes passed and she was able to calm herself enough to speak. She took a deep breath and let herself out of Rose’s arms.

“How did I get home?” she asked weakly.

“Ben found you,” Rose replied, “He showed up at the door at like four in the morning with you in his arms. You were all covered in blood. I thought he did it when I first saw him, but then he told me that some guy attacked you outside of Poe’s.”

“ _Ben_ saved me? Why was he there? We were supposed to meet after I was done with work but then he...” she trailed off.

“I don’t know what he did or why he was there Rey. But what I do know is that you were lucky he was. He healed you, with his blood-”

“His blood?”

“He said that vampire blood has healing properties in it, and that drinking it healed your injuries. Based on the amount of blood that we cleaned off your face last night, I’m inclined to believe him and I’m thankful he did.”

Rey sat in silence for a moment, her eyes wandering around the room. “I need to see him tonight,” she said, “and ask him what the hell happened. I mean one moment he’s leaving the bar with some other woman and the next he’s with me and saving my life. I don’t understand him.”

“Rey, you were just assaulted,” said Rose, “I think you should place a little less of your worry on Ben’s interest in other women and more into your recovery.”

“I also need to thank him,” she said, “for saving me.”

Rose let out a sigh. “I guess that you should,” she said, “I think it would also be good for you to go and ask him more about the blood thing. He mentioned some side effects about it last night.”

“I don’t know if I want to go to work today,” said Rey quietly, changing the subject.

“That’s understandable,” Rose replied, “and it’s been taken care of. I called him this morning to tell him what happened. He was worried, and also a little guilty since he wasn’t around when it happened. He said that you can take as much time as you need, and that if you feel up to it he can come by for a visit this afternoon and bring you lunch.”

“I think I would like that, but I guess that means I need to get ready for the day.

Rey peeled the blanket off of herself and rose from the couch. She paused for a moment and sharply inhaled a couple of times. “Are you making cinnamon rolls?” she asked Rose.

“Yes,” Rose replied, “Can you smell them?”

“I can,” said Rey, “and I think they might be done.”

“How can you tell.”

“You can’t smell it?” asked Rey, “The smell is so intense, you can just tell that they are perfectly golden on top. You should probably go take them out now; any longer and they might be just a little too overdone.”

Rose gave her a strange look and left for the kitchen. Sure enough, when she pulled the rolls out of the oven they were perfectly done, colored lightly on the top.

“How in the world did she?” Rose asked herself, but then she remembered her conversation with Ben from the previous night. _“Her senses will be intensified when she wakes up.”_

“Hey Rose?” Rey called from the living room, “I’m going to go to my room to shower and change. I’ll be out in a bit; I want to try those cinnamon rolls, they smell _incredible._ ”

* * *

When Rey finished her shower, she felt refreshed and alive. Never before had water felt the way that it did on her skin that morning. She could feel every individual droplet as it fell, as well as the tingling of each bubble as the soap lathered on her body. She wanted to erase every trace of that night and that man off of her body, and she felt it all wash away down the drain.

As she stepped out of the tub, she paused and stared at her clothes lying on the bathroom floor. The denim skirt and sleeveless black top had been one of her favorite outfits, but now she could only see the faint bloodstains in the fabric and couldn’t help but think about what had happened the last time she wore that outfit. She picked the clothes up off the floor and made her way into her bedroom, throwing them into the small trashcan next to her vanity. She pulled the bag out with its contents, tied it shut, and threw it across the room. She would make sure that those clothes were never seen in her home again.

Rey then made her way to her closet to find a comfortable set of clothes for the day. She settled with a pair of black leggings and a soft white racerback top. After putting the clothes on, she left her room to join Rose in the kitchen for cinnamon rolls.

When she took her usual seat at the counter, Rose had already made her a plate. She must had done something differently with her recipe this time, because they smelled absolutely intoxicating. The spices smelled so complex and warm, while the icing smelled of mouthwatering sweetness. She eagerly dug in with a fork, tearing off a sizable bite. The taste lived up to the smell, and was one of the most delicious things she had ever had in her mouth.

“Rose, what did you do to them this time?” she asked, “These are incredible!”

“I didn’t do anything different,” Rose replied, “I made them the same as I always do.”

Rose paused for a moment and pursed her lips. She seemed to be thinking of what to say next.

“I actually think it would be a good thing for you to talk to Ben tonight,” she said.

“Why is that?” Rey asked, her mouth still slightly full of cinnamon roll.

“He told me something a little strange about you drinking his blood last night,” said Rose, “He said that there could be some side effects, things like _heightened senses._ ”

Rey stopped chewing for a moment, processing the information. “Is that why everything has felt so different today?” she asked, “From my shower, to the smell and taste of your cooking, everything has just seemed _amazing_ , and I can’t explain it.”

“Don’t get too used to it, or excited about it, he said it would only be temporary,” Rose replied, “I still think it might be a good idea to see him though. He probably can provide more details about it.”

Rey finished her cinnamon roll and picked up her dishes, placing them in the sink to soak and wash.

“I have my clothes from last night wrapped up in a trash bag in my room,” she said, turning to Rose, “Would you mind taking them out for me. I- I don’t want to touch them or look at them again.”

Rose gave her a solemn nod and reached out to give her arm a comforting squeeze. “Sure, I’ll do anything to help,” she said, “But maybe I should hang on to them for a little bit. Ben said that he ‘took care of’ the guy last night. I know you probably haven’t thought of this, but you may want to seek your own justice. They might do good to turn in to the police for evidence...”

Rey shuddered, thinking of having to provide a statement and relive that moment.

“I’ll keep them hidden away so you’ll never have to see them,” Rose continued, “But they’ll be there for when you’re ready.”

Rey nodded and Rose left the kitchen to retrieve the bag of clothes from Rey’s room. She brought it into her own room and tucked it into a hidden corner of her closet.

Rey decided to spend the rest of the day relaxing and attempting to take her mind off what had happened, as well as her impending conversation with Ben. She felt so frustrated and confused by his actions and was clueless as to how to address it when she would see him that night.

Poe arrived later that afternoon, bringing lunch as promised. He had also provided his own endless string of apologies and promises to never allow her to be hurt on the job again. For her lunch, he had ordered her a cup of soup and a sandwich as take-out from her favorite café in town. “I know it doesn’t change what happened to you, but I hope it at least makes your day a little better,” he said as he handed the food over to her. As she ate, she thanked Ben’s blood for its side effects, once again having one of the greatest tasting meals of her life.

* * *

Once sundown arrived, Rey left her apartment and nervously approached the door next to hers. She raised her hand to knock, but before she could the door opened. Ben stared at her for a moment, and then without warning, pulled her into his arms and held her tightly.

“You’re okay,” he said, resting his chin on the top of her head.

Rey struggled in his grip and pushed on his body. “Let me go please,” she said quietly, “There are some explanations that I think you owe me.”

Ben loosened his grip on her and let go. He then led her to his couch, motioning for her to sit down with him.

She could only face him for a mere second before breaking down.

“What in the hell happened last night?” she asked fighting back tears, “First you ask me to meet with you after I finish working. Then, I see you leaving with some random woman. I assume that we’re off for the night, only to have you save me from being assaulted on my way to my car. And then I find out part of you saving me involved you feeding me your blood, which has made me feel weird all day. Ben... I don’t understand.”

She inhaled a shaky breath, a few rogue tears falling down her cheeks.

“So much happened,” Ben agreed, “and you do deserve an explanation. But before I start, I just want you to know that I never wish to hurt you like this Rey.”

He scooted towards her and slowly extended his arm, reaching towards her face. He then took her face in his hand, feeling her flinch under the coldness of his flesh. His thumb gently wiped away her tears.

“I didn’t come here by simple coincidence,” he began. He drew his hand away from Rey’s face and rested it on his knee.

“I was recruited,” he continued, “by the sheriff of this area.”

“You work for the sheriff’s department?” Rey asked.

“No,” he replied, “the vampire sheriff. In addition to human legal and government systems, we also have our own that deal with vampire-specific issues. Ours dates back thousands of years and was our sole source of governance before we joined the human world. At the top is The Authority, which is the supreme vampire leadership. Then each state, province, or territory is considered a kingdom and has a king or queen. Within each kingdom there are areas and each area is assigned a sheriff. Sheriffs oversee local disputes and problems within our community and report to their king or queen. Only the most serious of matters are brought to The Authority.”

“So you work for our area’s vampire sheriff?”

“In a way. Vampires are rarely paid for the services they provide to their leadership. Most of us own businesses, work night jobs, or are living off fortunes that we have amassed through our many years of existence. When we agree to perform a job for our leadership it is usually for the benefit of power or favor, or out of obligation and self-preservation.”

“And which of those brings you to do your work here?”

“Favor, I would say,” he replied, “but I also enjoy the work that I do. I spent many years as an investigator for my previous sheriff, working to protect our kind from discovery and traitorous actions within our own. When we made ourselves known to humans, it presented a new set of issues and challenges. Humans have been less than trusting of us since then, and for good reason. It’s no surprise that some conflict has arisen and that there are new threats of violence against us. That is why I came here, to help the sheriff keep the peace and mitigate the damages.”

“That all sounds valid,” said Rey, “but how does that explain what happened last night?”

“There have been a few vampires who have gone missing in this area,” Ben explained, “The sheriff and I think that it might have something to do with a draining ring. Vampire blood can act as a powerful drug for humans. We have tried to keep this knowledge a secret, but especially now that our existence is known, it’s becoming harder to hide. What we’ve been finding is that there are some groups of humans who seek to kidnap vampires and drain their blood to sell on the recreational drug market.”

“Is that why I’ve been feeling so strange today?” asked Rey, “Because I’ve had your blood? Rose told me that you gave me some to heal my injuries last night.”

“Yes,” Ben replied, “The common effects are heightened senses, increased strength, as well as... increased libido.”

Rey felt herself blush at the mention of the last effect.

“However,” Ben continued, “when taken recreationally vampire blood can also bring about an intense euphoria and powerful hallucinations. All of its effects make it an especially lucrative product. Demand seems to be increasing rapidly and sellers are only becoming bolder in their means to acquire a supply. I had heard from some sources that a ring of sellers were picking up vampires at bars in the area and kidnapping them to be drained. I believed that woman who came into your bar last night was one of their scouts. I left with her to see if she would be of any use for information. I planned on glamouring her to give up what she knew and coming right back.”

“But you never did,” said Rey, “What happened?”

“While I was attempting to get information out of the woman, I was ambushed,” he said, “I was silvered from behind and thrown into the trunk of a car. Luckily, I had sent the sheriff a message earlier that night informing him of my lead and he was able to intercept the vehicle. I was saved, but all the ring members were either killed in the process or got away. By the time I was healed and we had cleaned the whole thing up, it was already past the time I was supposed to meet you. I came as soon as I could, and that’s when I found you.”

“I understand if you still find it difficult to trust me,” he continued, “but I want you to know that if anything were to ever happen again that I will be there. I will be able to always find you. It’s another part of the blood.”

He reached out and held her wrist in his hand. His thumb gently pressed into her skin, feeling the faint beating of her pulse. “I am now a part of you,” he explained, “I can feel my blood inside of you. That wasn’t my intent when I gave it to you, but it is now our reality. Any time you feel fear, I sense it. Any time you feel unsafe, I’ll know and I’ll be there to protect you.”

“And what if it’s during the day?” she asked with a hint of sarcasm. A slight smirk appeared on her lips.

Ben let go of her wrist and took her hand, lacing his icy fingers between hers. “Well we’re just going to have to bet on that not happening.”

“I wouldn’t want you bursting into flames coming to save me,” Rey replied, “Does that actually happen though?”

Ben let out a light laugh and shook his head. “It’s more of a slow... cooking,” he said, “Sometimes the flames happen but it really depends on the intensity of the sun and how quickly we melt.”

Rey gave him a slightly disgusted look, “I... shouldn’t have asked that,” she said.

“The more you spend time with me, the more unsavory things you will learn about my kind,” said Ben, “There’s a lot more to us than blood sucking, immortality, and sex appeal.”

“Are you saying all vampires have sex appeal?” asked Rey.

“I’m saying that for some reason, despite us being potentially dangerous creatures that up until recently used you as our primary source of food, for some reason you humans have shown an attraction to us.”

“You don’t think it has anything to do with the glamouring or your blood? I’m sure those have something to do with your effect on young women.”

“I’m sure it has with others, but for me it hasn’t been the case. Aside from my human life I have only been with other vampires, and you are the only human who has ever had my blood.”

Rey’s face softened slightly. There was something about that revelation that felt sweet to her, and almost intimate. She raised her free hand to gently stroke her fingers through Ben’s soft, dark hair. He leaned into her touch. “How old are you Ben?” she asked.

For some reason it had never occurred to her that he was much older than he appeared. It was an almost silly assumption, that he was merely as old as he looked when immortality was one of the main conditions of being what he was.

“My human life ended when I was twenty-nine years old,” he said, “but I am currently one hundred and eighty-seven years old.”

Rey gasped, her hand still stroking through his hair. “Almost two hundred years,” she said, “and you’ve never shared your blood. Why me?”

“Because you were one of the first humans to show me unconditional kindness after knowing what I am. You remind me of my humanity, and I did not want to lose you.”

His confession moved her, so much that before she knew it, she was bringing her lips to meet his. Her heart leapt out of her chest as he returned the kiss with just as much passion and urgency. She longed to be closer to him and brought her other hand to join the first one in grabbing fists of his hair, feeling the lush, wavy locks between her fingers. She climbed into his lap, straddling him, wanting to feel the coolness of his body against the warmth of hers. Ben’s hands traveled eagerly across her body, leaving goosebumps wherever they touched.

His hands found their place at her back, cradling her in his arms. He gently tipped her backwards, guiding her with his hands until she was lying on her back with him on top of her. Rey let out a soft moan of approval as he slipped his tongue into her mouth and grazed its insides. In the new position, his hands began to explore her body again, running up and down her sides, and then lower to the outside of her thighs. Suddenly, Rey broke the kiss, removed her hands from his hair, and pressed firmly on his chest. “No..” she said in a hushed tone.

Realization dawned on him as he noticed where he had allowed his hands to wander. They were in the place that _he,_ her attacker, had touched her the night that he found her in the alley behind Poe’s. He pushed himself off her to give her some space.

Rey’s breathing began to quicken and tears welled up in her eyes. “... so sorry,” she managed to get out between breaths, “I want to, it’s just... the flashbacks... can’t be touched there... too soon.. not yet...”

Ben scooped her into his arms in an attempt to comfort her. “Is this okay?” he asked softly.

Rey buried her head into his chest and nodded and he continued to hold her has she cried.

“Would you mind laying with me for the rest of the night?” she asked after she had calmed, “Just until before the sun comes up?”

Without a word, Ben rose from the couch, carrying her with ease to his bedroom. Its design and colors matched those of the living room. His large bed was made of study, espresso colored wood and was clean and modern in design. It was covered in a soft navy duvet and topped with grey pillows. On either side of the bed were matching nightstands that each had their own stainless steel lamps with simple, cream colored shades. They lit the room with a dim, soft light.

Ben pulled back the duvet and sheets on one side and placed Rey into them, tucking them back in once she was settled. He then laid down on the opposite side of the bed, keeping a respectful distance from her.

“You can hold me if you would like,” she said quietly.

He rolled over on his side and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her body and resting his chin on her shoulder.

They stayed like that for hours, content with the silence and each other’s presence. At around four thirty, Rey turned over to face him. “It’s almost sunrise,” she said, “You should go to wherever you go to hide from the sun.”

“Come back tomorrow night,” said Ben, placing a kiss on her forehead.

“I will,” she replied.

“Would you like to see where I go during the day?” he asked.

Rey nodded and followed as he got out of the bed.

After tucking the duvet back into place and straightening the pillows, Ben tilted the bed upwards, lifting the mattress and its base to reveal a small cubby space built into the bottom of the bedframe.

“I was about to ask what the point of you having a bed was,” said Rey, “but now I see.”

Before stepping inside, Ben paused and took Rey’s face in his hands. “I would say goodnight,” he said, “but it is morning. Please get some sleep.”

“I’ll try,” Rey replied.

He dropped his hands and stepped inside of his cubby. “I’ll see you soon,” he said, before pulling it shut.


End file.
